Automobile-starter.



H. W. HAMILTON. AUTOMOBILE STARTER.

APPLICATION msn JUNE 16, 1913.

L M99 l 8A., Patented Aug. 3, 1915. v Wij/3&2. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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Snom/woz H. W. HAMILTON.

AUTMOBILE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I6. 1913.

1.149.134. PatenIeIAug 3,1915.

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AUTOMOBILE STARTER.

APPucATloN msn JUNE 16. 1913.

LMQM. Patented Aug. 3,1915.

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HARRY W. HAMILTON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAM-MEIX MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, KA CORPORATION 0F INDIANA.

AUToi/ioiaiLE-sTARTER.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

Application iiied'June 16, 191s. serial No. 773,874.

To all whom t may concern t Be it known that I, HARRY IV. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Automobile-Starter, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of'my invention to provide a simple and positive starter for internal combustion engines," which shall act uniformly and without violence on the engine, requires the expenditure of a minimum amount of energy, is easily and inexpensively maintained, and is fool-proof.y In attaining this object, I provide two reservoirs one containing fluid under high pressure and the other fluid under relatively low pressure though materially higher than atmospheric pressure, connect said two reservoirs by .an automatic pressure-reducing valve which closes when the pressure in the low pressure reservoir exceeds a predetermined value, and supply fluid from the low pressure reservoir through a suitable control valve to start the engine by direct fluid pressure, either by supplying this fluid under pressure to the engine itself, preferably through a distributer if the engine is a multicylinder engine, or by supplying it to a suitable auxiliary or starting motor, which may be connected to the engine by an automatic clutch acting to transmit power only from the auxiliary motor to the engine. 1n addition there may be provided means for automatically closing the discharge from the low pressure reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum, and also means whereby the operationl of the engine, when it is started, serves to restore the pressure in the low pressure reservoir, thus promoting economy inthe use of fluid from the high pressure reservoir. The high pressurev reservoir, when discharged, may be recharged in any suitable manner, or a charged ieservoir may be substituted for it. The most suitable Huid for this use I have found to be carbon dioxid, as this fluid, except in very hot weather, is partly liquefied under the pressures I use and so for any given teniperature a constant pressure is maintained in the high pressure reservoir as gas is drawn therefrom so long as any carbon dioxid in the liquid state remains therein. It is true that at some .summer temperatures this partial liquefaction does not take place, because the critical temperature of carbon dioxid is exceeded, but this is comparatively rare; and I usually charge the high pressure reservoir so that if its contents be completely vaporized on account of hot weather the pressure within such reservoir will be about fifteen hundred pounds, though the same amount of carbon dioxid which produces this pressure will produ@J avery considerably lower pressure when it is partly liquefied, as it is at most ordinary temperatures with the pressures I use. Even when somewhat above the critical temperature, for it never far exceeds such critical temperature at atmospheric temperatures, the pressure developed when below a certain value varies less rapidly than does the Volume. v j

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a semi-diagrammatic view showing the system in its entiretyand some of the parts in structural detail; Fig. 2 is a section through the distributer on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is another semi-diagrammatic View showing a modification in which an auxiliarv or starting motor is used; and Fig. L1 is fragmentary view showing a modification in which the gas pressure is normally maintained by a separate pump operated by the engine.

Two reservoirs or storage tanks 10 and 11, for fluid under low and high pressure respectively, .are connected through an automatic pressurereducing valve 12, which conveniently isconnected to the low pressure reservoir through a pipe 13 in which is a hand shut-off valve 14, and to the high pressure reservoir through a pipe 15 in which is a union or coupling 16 and a hand shut-off valve 17, the union or coupling allowing the high pressure reservoir readily to be disconnected and another one substituted for it. I have found carbon dioxid a most convenient fiuid for lthis use, because it is partially liquefied at high pressure atmost ordinary temperatures, its critical temperature being approximately 88.5 F., and pressures of 150 and 150() lbs. convenient pressures for the two reservoirs respectively when the temperature is so high that no liquefaction occurs, though the presure in the high pressure cylinder will be lower than fifteen hundred pounds at any temperature below the critical temperature of carbon dioxid beasy cause of the constant pressure which exists in a partiallyy liquefied gas at any given temperature, this pressure varying with the temperature and being always below the critical pressure, which in the case of carbon dioXid is 72.9 atmospheres. Thus, because of the partial liquefaction, a greater quantity of carbon dioxid, (in terms of gas volume at atmospheric temperature and pressure,) may, save in very hot weather, be stored in the high pressure cylinder at a given pressure than of air or of any other gas which has a critical temperature below ordinary atmospheric temperatures. (The critical temperature of air is more than 250o `below zero F.) Moreover, carbon dioxid does not act chemically on the engine or the pipes and tubes, as many other gases would. However, while carbon dioXid has these ad vantages, it is not essential to my invention save when claimed specifically. The automatic pressure-reducing valve 12 comprises a diaphragm 19 clamped between two casing sections 2() and 21, a smaller diaphragm 22 clamped between the casing section 20 and a third casing section 23, a valve stem 24 which passes through the diaphragm 22 and is vclamped thereto by clamping nuts 25 and is provided with a head 26 which bears4 against that side of the diaphragm 19 which istoward the casing section 20, and an adjustable spring 27 which holds said head 26 against the diaphragm 19 and thus determines the pressure at which the valve 12 opens or closes. The pipes 13 and 15 lead into the casing section 23 on the side of the diaphragm 22 remote from the .diaphragm 19, the needle point on the valve stem 24 engaging its valve seat on the casing section 23 w hen the diaphragm 19 is moved against the action of the spring 27. T his'movement of the diaphragm 19 is obtained by connecting the casing section 21 with the reservoir 10, as by means of a pipe 28 in which'may be -located a hand shut olf valve 29. The pipe 28 and valve 29 need not be separate from the pipe 13 and the valve 14, though it is often convenient to have them so. The purpose of the diaphragm 22 is to prevent -the pressure in the reservoir 19 from acting against the side of th'e diaphragm 19 which is toward the casing section 20, said latter casing section being either closed or provided with vent openings 30.

As gas is drawn from the reservoir 10,

and the pressure in such reservoir falls to a predetermined value, say 150 lbs., the spring 27 pushes the diaphragm 19 against the fluid pressure from the reservoir 10 and thereby opens the automatic pressure-reducing valve, whereupon gas passes from the high pressure reservoir 11 through the valve 17, the pipe 15, the automatic pressurereducing valve 12, the pipe 13, and the `valve 14 to the reservoir 10 to build up the pressure in the latter. Then this pressure in the reservoir 10 rises to a predetermined value, say 160 lbs.,'it overcomes the action of the spring 27 on the diaphragm 19 and closes the automatic pressure-reducing valve. Thus the pressure in the reservoir 10 is maintained substantially constant, and at a sufficiently low value. while the initial pressure in the reservoir 11 may be as high as desired.

The gas is drawn from the low pressure reservoir 10 for starting an internal combustion engine, as of an automobile, by direct fluid pressure. To this end, gas from the generator 10 is supplied through a pipe 35, which is preferably a branch pipe from the pipe 28 so that it may be controlled in common with the-latter pipe by the hand shut ofl7 valve 29, and an automatic cut ofl" valve to a supply pipe 36 leading to the engine through a hand control valve and, in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, a distributer, of which more hereafter. This" automatic cut off valve comprises casing sections 20 and 21', diaphragms 19 andv22, lock nuts 25', a head 26, and a spring 27 identical in structure with the parts 20, 21, 19, 22, 25, 26, and 27 already described. The valve stem 24 of the automatic cut oil' valve differs from the valve stem 24 of the automatic pressure-reducing valve in that it has a fiaring conical end 37 instead of a needle point, said flaring end 37 coperating with a valve seat on a casing section 23 substantially identical with the casing section 23 save that the valve seat is on the side of the casing remote from the diaphragms. The pipes 35 and 36 are connected. to the casing section 23 in substantially the same manner as are the pipes 13 and 15 to the casing section 23 of the automatic pressure-reducing valve. The automatic cut off valve operates, in a manner exactly the reverse of that of the automatic pressure-reducing valve, to close the connection between the gas reservoir 10 and the pipe 36 when the pressure in such reservoir falls below a predetermined value, say 6() lbs., lower than that at which the automatic pressure-reducing valve opens. This prevents the operator from wasting the gas by continuing to draw it from the reservoir 10 when the pressure therein is too low to be efficient; for starting the engine, and allows time, only a few minutes or even less ordinarily being necessary, for the pressure in the reservoir 10 to be built up by fluid from the reservoir 11; then the automatic cut-off valve opens and allows gas to be drawn from the reservoir 10 too continue the starting operation.

The pipe 36 leads to the casing 40 of the control valve. This casing has a central passage 41 provided at its two ends with outwardly and oppositely facing valve seats, with which valve heads 42 and 43, which are mounted on a common valve stem 44 smaller than the passage 41 and are spaced farther apart than are the valve seats, respectively coperate. The valve head 42 and its valve seat are conical, While the valve head 43 and its seat may be flat, the valve head 43 preferably being faced with rubber 45 or other yieldable material on its side toward the valve seat. 'Ihe valve stem 44 of the control valve is suitably connected, as by a bell crank lever 46, to be moved by a rod 47 and push knob 48, the latter conveniently being mounted on the dash board of an automobile if the apparatus is used in connection With an automobile. The control valve is biased, both by a spring 49 and by the pressure from the pipe 36 on the valve head 42, to hold said valve head against its seat and thus close the valve. Vhen the knob 48 is pushed, the valve is opened by the separation of the valve head 42 from its seat, the valve head 43 at. the same time being moved against its valve seat to prevent leakage around the valve stem. The opening of the control valve opens the pipe 36 to a pipe 50, leading from the passage 41 between the two valve seats.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the pipe 50 leads to an opening 51 on one side of the casing 52 of the distributer, the other side of said casing being provided with a series of openings 53 equidistant from the center of the casing and equally spaced apart, the number of said openings 53 being equal to the number of cylinders of the engine With which the device is associated, a four cylinder engine being illustrated. The openings 53 are connected by pipes 54 to valves 55 opening into the respective engine cylinders 1, 2, 3, and 4, said valves 55 being normally closed and being openable by the rod 47 when the latter is moved to open the control valve. 'Ihe valves 55 may be substantially the same in structure as the control valve, but here the gas pressure is admitted through the opening at the side of the valve casing and discharged through the opening at the end thereof, 'Whereas on the control valve the gas is admitted through the opening at the end of the valve casing and discharged through the opening at the side thereof. Thus in each valve 55, all pressure from the gas reservoir 10 being cut ofi" when the control valve is closed, any pressure from the associated engine cylinder acts at all times against the head of the valve, thereby aiding the spring in keeping the valve seated and preventing leakage when the starter is not being operated to start the motor. If desired, a shut olf valve 29', separate from the valve 29, may be placedin the pipe 36, conveniently being located Von the dashboard if the deviceis used on an automobile. The casing 52 of the distributer is also provided With an opening 56 on the same side of the casing as but nearer the center thereof than are the openings 53, said opening 56 communicating, as by a pipe 57, With the atmosphere.

Mounted Within the casing 52 is a rotary disk 60, Which is driven at a speed proportional to that of the engine shaft 59, conveniently at one-half engine speed if the engine is of the four-cycle type. The disk G0 is thinner than the space Within the casing 52, and when pressure is admitted through the pipe 50 and opening 51 is held Afirmly against that side of the casing which is provided With the openings 53 and 56. When such pressure is relieved, the disk moves slightly away "from the inner surface of the casing, and its center on the side of the disk toward' the opening 51 bears against a. bearing ball 61, thus 'reducing friction to a minimum. The disk 60 is provided with a notch 62 in its periphery, such notch being of such angular length that it y successively opens the various openings 53 to the space on the other side of such disk and thus to the pipe 50 during the time that the correspondingengine cylinders are on their explosion strokes, but closes the openings 53 before the exhausts of such respective cylinders are opened. The disk 60 is provided on its side toward the openings 53 and 56 with a circular recess 63 which is provided with a sectorial Wing 64. The circular recess continually covers the opening 56 during the rotation of t-he disk 60, and the Wing 64 of such recess covers the various-openings 53 successively. The Wing 64 of this recess is solocated that it opens the various engine cylinders to the atmosphere, through the openings 53 and 56, when such cylinders are on their compression strokes. This eliminates, or greatly reduces, the compressing action within the cylinders, and thus greatly diminishes' the Work required in starting the engine. lVhile permissible, it is not necessary that the Wing 64 of the recess open the engine cylinders to the atmosphere during the Whole of their compression strokes, as ample relief is found to be obtained by connecting such cylinders to the atmosphere during the latter parts of such strokes.

In order to make the feeding of fluid from the high pressure reservoir 11 to the low pressure reservoir 10 a mere auxiliary action, and thus to promote economy, I provide other means for normally maintaining the gas pressure in said tank above the predetermined value at which the fluid from the reservoir 1 1 is admitted to the tank 10. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, this consists of a pipe 7 0 connecting the reservoir 10 and the engine cylinder 1,'in which piper70, conveniently at the cylinder end thereof, is a check valve 71l Which admits the passage of gas only from the cylinder to the reservoir, and even that only in case the pressure in the reservoir is below a predetermined value. This predetermined value is somewhat higher than that at which the automatic pressure-reducing valve opens. The check valve T1 may take various forms. but in the form illustrated comprises a body port-ion T2 provided with external heat-radiating ribs 73 and with a central longitudinal opening 72 enlarged at the middle and smallest at the bottom and having a valve seat T1 between said middle and bottom port-ions, and a valve stem T5 movable in said opening and guided by the upper portion thereotn and cooperating with said valve seat 71 to open and close the valve.. The lower end of the opening in the valve body is connected to the cylinder 1 and the middle portion of such opening to the reservoir 10 through the pipe T0. The valve stem T5 is provided with an opening T6 connecting the middle enlarged portion of the opening T2 with that portion of said opening which is above the valve stem, so that the pressure from the reservoir 10 may act upon the top of the valve stem to assist in holding the valve closed. Vith this arrangement the operation of the engine causes the explosions in cylinder 1 t-o force part of the burned gases produced by such explosions through the check valve T1 and the pipe T0 into the reservoir 10 whenever the pressure in said tank is below the predetermined value at which the check valve T1 may open. lYhen the pressure in said reservoir equals or exceeds that value, the check valve 71 remains constantly closed.

Instead of using the burned gases from one of the engine cylinders for replenish# ing t-he reservoir l0, such replenishing may be obtained by a pump T8 driven from the engine shaft as shown in Fig. l; a clutch 78 may be included in the mechanical connection between the engine shaft 59 and the pump. T8. Conveniently this pump 78 supplies air to the reservoir 10, though any other desired gas may be supplied. The connection from the pump' T8 to the reservoir 10 is through a pipe TO, in which may be located a suitable check valve T9. llvlien a predetermined pressure is reached in the reservoir 10, the reaction of such pressure on the pump causes the supply of gas from the latter tothe reservoir to cease, or the clutch TS may be disengaged.

T o start the engine, the ignition if desired, {irst being closed as is done preparatory to cranking the engine. the knob 48 is pushed to open the control valve and the valves 55. rl`his admits pressure from the reservoir 10. provided such pressure is sutliciently high to allow the automatic cut off valve to be open, through the opening 51 of the distributer, the notch 62, and the proper opening 53 and pipe 51,

circuit, usually with the engine at proper relative speed.

As the disk 60 is rotated, gas from the reservoir 10 is admitted under presusre to the engine cylinders in proper succession on their explosion strokes, the compression in each of said cylinders being previously relieved, ir" desired, to diminish the work required. After a few revolutions of the engine shaft, the knob 48 may be released to permit the spring 19 to close the valves 55 and the control valve. The ignition circuit must now be closed if it has not previously been closed. The engine is now in its normal condition and operates under its own power, the momentum given it by the starting carrying it past the point where the irst explosion of compressed carbureted air takes place, just as in the case of cranking by hand. llvhile the starter gas I preferably use is carbon dioxid whicli is not explosive, and even if admitted to the firing chamber of the cylinder or cylinders if the engines at the time the ignition sparking takes place therein would' not produce an explosion in the firing chamber or in the exhaust pipe or muliler, by my device the starter gas is not admitted to any cylinder while ignition sparking takes place therein; that is, it is not admitted by the distributer into any cylinder until after the piston on its firing stroke has passed its ignition point and is on its downward stroke, and it is exhausted or withdrawn from the cylinder by the succeeding exhaust stroke and consequently before the next succeeding ignition spark takes place in such cylinder, the operation being the same in each separate cylinder of the engine.

When fluid has been drawn from the res-` ervoir 10, and the pressure therein thus reduced, the subsequent operation of the engine, after it has started, serves by its pumping action through the check valve 'Tl to build up such pressure again to normal, and thus to maintain it at its predetermined value without normally drawing the fluid from the high pressure reservoir 11. However, it' for any reason this pumping action does not take place. as because of difliculty in starting the engine. and the pressure in the reservoir 10 is reduced suiiciently low to allow the automatic pressure-reducing valve l2 to open. the pressure in the reservoir 10 is built up again by fluid from the reservoir 11. However, the pressure in the reservoir 11, if it contains carbon dioxid,

'does not change so long as its temperature up, which as heretofore shown requires but little time, the automatic cut-off valve opens to allow the starting operation to continue. lV hen the pressure in the high pressure reservoir is exhausted, the union or coupling 16 may be disconnected, the valves 14 and 17 first being closed, and the reservoir recharged or a charged reservoir substituted for it.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the starter gas from the reservoir 10 is notl supplied directly to the engine cylinders to start the engine, but instead the distributer discharging to the engine cylinders is omitted, and the discharge side of the control vvalve is connected by a pipe 8O to an auX- iliary or starting motor 81. This motor 81 may be of any desired type, but is conven-4 iently a rotary motor, as shown; and it is conveniently mechanically connected to the shaft of the engine by a suitable clutch 82, such as a roller clutch, which transmits power from the motor 81 to the engine to start the latter, but not from the engine to the motor 81, thus allowing the latter to be at rest under normal conditions. With the arrangement using the auxiliary or starting motor, the valves 55 discharge to the atmosphere or may be dispensed with entirely; and may, if desired, ltake the form of ordinary pet cocks in either arrangement.

I claim as my invention:

l. In combination, a high pressure reser` voir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which saidtwo reservoirs are connected, a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to said engine to start it by direct Huid pressure, a distributer connected between the control valve and the engine for directing the fluid to the proper cylinder of the engine, an automatic cut ofi' valve for closing the discharge from the low pressure reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum, and means whereby the operation ofl the engine builds up the pressure inthe low pressure reservoir to a predetermined value.

2. In combination, a 'high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, an internal combustion engine, a control valve for supf plying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine by direct fluid pressure, an automatic cut ofi valve for closing the discharge from the low pressure reservoir when the pressure -therein falls to a predetermined minimum, and means whereby the operation of the engine builds up the pressure in the low pressure reservoir t0 a predetermined value.

3. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a. low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, a multicylinder internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine, a distributer connected between .the control valve yand the engine for directing the fluid to the proper cylinder of the engine, an automatic cut off valve for closing the discharge fromthe low pressure reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum, and means whereby the operation of the engine builds up the pressure in the low pressure reservoir to a predetermined value.

4. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, a multicylinder internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying iiuid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to said engine to start it by direct fluid pressure, a distributer connected between the control valve and the engine for directing the fluid to the proper cylinder of the engine, and means whereby the opera-tion of the engine builds up the pressure in the low pressure reservoir to a predetermined value.

5. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, a multicylinder internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to said engine to start it by direct fluid pressure, a distributer connected between the control valve and the engine for directing the Huid to the proper cylinder of the engine, and an automatic cut 0H valve for closing the discharge from the low pressure reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum.

6. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, an internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine, an automatic cut off valve for closing the discharge from the low pressure reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum, and means whereby the operation of the engine builds up the pressure in the low pressure reservoir to a predetermined value.

7. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a'low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, an internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine byY direct fluid pressure. and means whereby the operation of the engine builds up the pressure in the low pressure reservoir to a predetermined value.

S. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, an internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying Huid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine by direct fluid pressure, and an automatic cutl ofll valve for closing the discharge Jfrom the low pressure reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum,

9. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are Connected, a multicylinder internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying Huid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine, a distributer connected between the control valve and the engine for directing the iuid to the proper cylinder of the engine, and means whereby the operation of the engine builds up the pressure in the low pressure reservoir to a predetermined value.

10. In combination. a high pressure reservoir, la low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said t-wo reservoirsare.connected, a multicylinder internal combustion engine. a control valve for supplying iiuid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to said engine. a dis; tributer connected between the control valve and the engine for directing the fluid to the proper cylinder of the engine. and an alitomatic cut off valve for closing the discharge from the low pressure reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum.

11. In combination, a high pressure reservoir. a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, a multicylinder internal combustion engine. a control valve for supplying fluid pressure from the l low pressure reservoir to said engine to start it by direct Huid pressure. and a distributer connected between the control valve and the engine for directing the Huid to the proper cylinder of the engine.

12. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir. an'automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, an internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine, and means whereby the operation of theengine builds up the pressure in the low pressure reservoir to a predetermined value.

13. In combination, a high pressure reservoir, a low pressure reservoir, an automatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, an internal combustion engine, a control valve for supplying fiuid'pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine, and an automatic cut off valve for closing the discharge from the low pressure `reservoir when the pressure therein falls to a predetermined minimum.

1i. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a reservoir for gas under pressure. means for supply-ing gas from said reservoir to start said engine. means for replenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir by the operation of the engine after it is started, and means for automatically replenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir when it falls below a predetermined value which is lower than the value at which the pressure in said tank is normally kept by the engine operation.

15. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a reservoir for gas underwpressure. means for supplying gas from said reservoirto start said engine, means for replenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir by the operation of the engine after it is started. and means acting independently of said engine for automatically replenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir when it falls below a predetermined value.

16. In combination. an internal combustion engine, a reservoir for gas under pressure. means for supplying gas from said reservoir to start said engine. means for re plenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir by the operation of the engine after it is started, means for automatically replenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir when it falls below a predetermined .value which is lower than the value at which the pressure in said tank is normally kept by the engine operation. and an automatic cutoff valve for closing the connection whereby the gas is supplied from the reservoir in case the pressure in the reservoir falls below a stilllower predetermined value.

1T. In combination. an internal combustion engine, a reservoir for gas under pressure. means for supplying gas from said reservoir to start said engine. means for replenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir by the operation of the engine after it is started. means for automatically replenishing the gas pressure in said reservoir when it falls below a predetermined value, and an automatic cut oli valve for closing the connection whereby the gas is supplied from the reservoir in case the pressure in the reservoir falls below a lower predetermined value.

1S. An improvement in the art of starting an internal combustion engine which consists in supplying gas under pressure to start the engine, replenishing the gas pressure by the subsequent operation of the engine, and automatically replenishing such gas pressure independently of the engine when such pressure falls below a lower predetermined value.

19. In combination, an internal combust-ion engine, `a. reservoir containing carbon dioxid under pressure, means for supplying gas from said reservoir to start said engine, means for replenishing the pressure of the carbon dioXid in said reservoir automatically when it falls below a predetermined value, said means operating independently of the engine, and means for replenishing the pressure of the carbon dioxid in the reservoir by the operation of the engine after the engine has started if such pressure is below a higher predetermined value. v

20. In combination, an internalcombus tion engine, a high pressure reservoir containing carbon dioxid under pressure, a low pressure reservoir for gas under pressure, means for supplying gas from the low pressure reservoir to start the engine, means for supplying carbon dioxid from the high pressure reservoir to the low pressure reservoir if the pressure in the latter falls below a predetermined value, and means for supplying gas to said low pressure reservoir by the operation of the engine after the latter' has started if the pressure in the low pressure reservoir is below a higher' predetermined value.

2l. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a high pressure reservoir containing` gas under such pressure that it is partially liquefied, a low pressure reservoir, means for supplying gas from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine, means for replenishing the pressure in the low pressure reservoir by the action of the engine after it has started if the pressure in such low pressure reservoir is below a predetermined value, and means for supplying gas from the high pressure reservoir to the low pressure reservoir when the pressure in the latter falls below a lower predetermined value.

22. In combination, a high pressure reser.

Voir, a low pressure reservoir, an kautomatic pressure-reducing valve through which said two reservoirs are connected, an internal combustion engine, a control Valve for supplying fluid pressure from the low pressure reservoir to start said engine by direct iuid pressure, and means kfor replenishing the pressure in the low pressure reservoir independently of the high pressure reservoir.

23. In combination, an internal combustion engine,` a reservoir containing Huid under pressure, means for supplying fluid pressure from said reservoir to start said engine by direct fluid pressure, means for automatically replenishing the pressure in said reservoir when such pressure falls below a predetermined value, and sepa-rate means for automatically replenishing the pressure in said reservoir if such pressure falls below a lower predetermined value.

2l. In combination, an`internal combustion engine, a reservoir containing fluid under suliicient pressure to start said engine, means for supplying fluid pressure from said reservoir to start said engine, means whereby the operation of the engine when started replenishes the pressure in said reservoir, and means for replenishing the pressure in such reservoir independenttv of the engine operation.

In witness whereof. I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis` Indiana. this 14th day of June` A. D. one thousand nine hundred and thirteen.

HARRY IIULTO.

'itnesses:

B. l". Mnixina., (l. Il. ScnLnY. 

